Elevator system



Dec. 22, 1931. J. N. ANDERSON ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed March 28, 1951 N WUMAWINVENTQR J ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1931 PATE T oFF-Hca e JOBIN NORMAN ANDERSON, OF-HOBOKENQNEW JERSEY, nssIGNoa-"ro o'rIs ELEVATOR a coMrANzor vnw-YoRK, 1v. A'CORIEORATIQN oravEw JERSEY. 3 I 5:

' ELEVATOR svs'rmvr Application filed March 28, 1931. Serial Ho. 526,007. x

The present invention relates to elevator in-V stallations and particularly to elevatorinstallations in which plurality of elevator cars are arranged to operate in thesame hatchway.

One feature of the invention is to reduce the amount of'space and material for an elevator installation in which a plurality of elevator cars are arranged to operate in the same hatchway and to reduce the initial cost and upkeep of such installation.

Another feature resides in counterbalanc- V ingitwo elevator cars, independently operaand down to the lower car.

ble in the same hatchway, by one counterweight common to both of the cars. Another feature resides in the arrange ment of the roping for two elevator cars independently operable in the same hatchway.

Other features and advantages will be ap- 7 parent from the following description and apthe counterweight connected to both cars in such manner as to provide the desired com. terbalancing effect. The inventlon further lnvolves arranging the hoist ng roping and compensating roping for the cars in such -manner that the unbalanced weight of the hoisting roping is properly counterbalanced for all positions of the cars in the'hatchway. In carrying out the inventiomaccording to I the preferred arrangement, both the hoisting roping and the compensating roping are common to both of the elevator cars. The hoisting roping is connected to the top of the upper car from where it extends upwardly and around the hoisting sheave for that car at the top of the hatchway, down to and around sheaves secured to the top of the counterweight, up to and around the hoisting'sheaves for the other car at the top of the hat'chway The compensating roping is arranged in a similar manner, being connected to the bottom of the lower car from where it extends downwardly to and around the compensating'sheave for 'that car around sheaves secured to the-bottom of the counterweight, down to and aroundthe compensatingsheave for the upper car at the bote tom of thehatc'hway, and up to the upper car, I For purposes of illustrating the invention, one embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a schematic representationin perspective of an elevator installation in which'two elevator carsare independently operable-in f onehatchway and in which the counterweight and ropingsystem is arranged in accordance with the principles ofthe invention. I I H i for the two cars is designated-"by the. numeral 10. The upper'caris designated 11 and the lower car 12.. Each car is'provided with guide shoes 13 for cooperating with guide rails 14 secured to the walls of'the hatch way. These guide rails are preferably 0 common to both elevators cars, as illustrated, but-separate guide rails may be provided if desired. The guide shoes 13 are preferably mounted approximately midway of the sides of their respective cars and, in case of a guide rail common to, both cars, are in the same vertical line. The cars 11 and 12 are prefer-- ably constructed so asto have approximately equal'capacities and to be of approximately equal weighty A single counterweight 15 is *providedfor counterbalancing the weight of both cars.

The counterweight is provided with guide shoes 21 cooperating with a pair of, guide rails 22 secured to the walls of the hatchway 10. The guide rails are-'- so positioned that the counterweight operates in a plane adja cent and parallel to the back walls of the elevator cars. The weight of the counterweight is twice that required for one of the cars which amounts to the sum of the weights ofthe cars, plus approximately forty per cent of the sum of the'weights of their rated loads, plus one-halfthe sum of the weights of the travelling cablesfor thetwo cars.

Although the invention; is applicable to installations employing various types of drives, such as installations in which the elevator car is raised and lowered by drum machines, it is particularly applicableto installations'in which the cars are rai'sed and 7 At fills point the compensating cables divide,y

lowered, by traction machines. A traction drive installation has been illustrated.

Double wrap traction drives are particularly suitable but single wrap drives are also suitable, and single wrap drives havebeen shown for convenience of illustration Each elevator :car has its own hoisting machine in order to provlde for lIlClQPGnClGIll) operation.

The hoisting machine for the upper car is illustrated as arranged onf a level'above that for the lower car but *itiis to be understood that both hoisting machines may be arranged on-the same level as by the use of idler sheaves or proper positioning of-thesecondary sheaves in case of double wrap traction installations. The "hoisting, machine for the upper-car 'comprises a hoisting :sheave'23 mounted on a shaft 19 driven by-a holsting motor 125. As .azresult :of ithe arrangement] of roping, the hoisting machine for the lower car comprises; two spaced hoisting sheaves 24 mounted on shaft :Qedriven by hoisting moe.

tor26. T V

' "A compensating.-zsheave 2i forzrthe lower car-and.compensatingsheaves-28 for the ups percar areamounted at the bottom-of the hatchwayq. These sheaves are mounted in guides, not shown'pandeach may be arranged to have only aalimited upward movement;

The hoisting [cables are common to both elevator cars and :are designated 30. They a aresecured at: one end to the top of the upper car 11 from where'theyextend upward- 1y. to and ar'oundhoisting 'sheave'23, thence downwardly to sheaves .16 and Y17 secured to the top of the counterweight -15. The-hoisting cables divide'at this point, half of them passingaround sheave 16 andv theother half passingaround sheave 17. From the two sheaves 16 and: 17, these. groups of hoisting cables extend upwardly, to and around the "hoisting-sheaves '24 for the lower car, and

thencedownwardly pastthe upper car to lower car 12, to which the other ends of the cables-are;secured. 1

The compensating cables are also common to both elevator cars-and their arrangement is substantially:identicalwith that 'of the hoistingfcables. The compensating cables,

designated 35, are secured at one end to the bottom of the lower car-12 from wherethey extend downwardly to and around the com pensating-sheave 27 for the lower car and thence upwardlytothesheaves l8 and 20 secured. tozthe bot-toniof the counterweight.

half 'o f them passing-,around sheave 18 and theother-half around sheave 20. From there,

the compensating cablesextend downwardly. to' and around compensating sheaves 28' for the upper car, and thence. upward-lypast the lower-car to'upper car 11, to which the other ends oi" thecables are secured.

- I Only [two hoistingcablesand two: compen- P sating cables-are illustrated. a This isv done cables.

merely for convenience of illustration and it is understood that the number ofhoisting cables and compensating cables, employed are in accordancewith therequirements of the particular installation. In order to provide exact compensation for the unbalanced weight of the hoisting cables alone, the num: ber of compensating cables should be the same as the number of hoisting cables, assuming *thatthe same size cables are employed;

In case of *di'fi'erentsiz'e cables, the total weight of the compensating cables should be substantially equal to that of the hoisting partial compensatingefi'ect'of the travelling cables for thecars l1 and 12,-. as by varying the numberof. compensating cables: em-.

ployed. J

WVith the arrangement of roping as above described, upon. movement of the upper car 11 while the lowercar 12 is stationary, the counterweight, 15. moves in a direction, oppo site tothat of the upper car at zone-half the speed .of that=car.

car 12in thexdirection opposite to that of lower'car 12fwhen;thelower'car'moves at a time when the upper car is stationary, both cars-are moving in ithe samedirection, the counterweight moves in: the opposite direction at one-half the'sum of thespeeds 0fthe twocarsi- If the-cars are moving in the opposite direction, the counterweight moves at one-:halfitheedifierence of-the speeds of the two cars and in a direction'opposite to that ot-the-fas-ter 'movingcar. If the two However theweight of the compen sating cables may be varied to allow for the Similarly, the 'counter-. weight 15 moves at half the speed of lower ingcofithehoisting sheaves and secondary] sheavesalIn case. of single wrap traction drives, idler sheaves may be employed or, in case oti'properdiameter hoisting sheaves for the lowercarpby the use of one'idler sheave associated. with the -outer one of. the driving sheaves. In case of the compensatingisheaveathe desired positions ,ofthe compensating :cables may be obtained by proper diameters and locations of; the compensatingIsheaveaor-one-or more idler sheaves may be'proyidedif desired;

With a counterweight common to both of the elevator cars and a system of roping as above described,;the'amount of spaceand ma-' terial, for the elevator installation is reduced. 7

Also,; the-initial cost of the installation and thecostfofits up-keep is reduced.

Variousparts of the elevator installation are notshown in the-drawing, these parts,

being omitted in order that the invention may be more clearly seen from the drawing. The travelling cables and idler sheaves have also been omitted from the drawing to render the drawing more readily understood.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator installation comprising, two superposed elevator cars in the same hatchway, each operable from one floor to another independently of the other, and means common to both of said cars for counterbalancing the weight of said cars.

2-. An elevator installation comprising,

two superposed elevator cars independently movable in the same hatchway, and a connterweight movable in said hatchway, said counterweight being common to both of said cars.

3. An elevator installation comprising, two superposed elevator cars in the same hatchway, each of said cars being operable from one floor to another independently of the other car, and a single counterweight movable in said hatchway, said counter- Weight being connected to both'of said cars.

4. An elevator installation comprising, a hatchway, two superposed elevator cars in said hatchway, each of said cars being operable from one floor to another independently of the other car, a single counterweight movable in said hatchway, and hoisting roping suspending said counterweight, said roping being connected at one end to one of said cars and at the other end to the other of said cars.

5. An elevator installation comprising; a hatchway; two superposed elevator cars independently operable in said hatchway; a single counterweight movable in said hatchway; a hoisting sheave for the upper of said cars; spaced hoisting sheaves for the lower of said cars; idler sheaves secured to said counterweight; and hoisting roping connected at one end to the upper car, passing at least partially around the hoisting sheave for that car, the idler sheaves and the hoisting sheaves for the lower car, and connected at'the other end to the lower car.

6. An elevator installation comprising; a hatchway; two superposed elevator cars independently operable in said hatchway; a hoisting she-ave for the upper of said cars; two spaced hoisting sheaves for the lower of said cars; means for driving the hoisting sheave for the upper car; means for driving the hoisting sheaves for the lower car; a

single counterweight'movable in said hatch way; a pair of sheaves secured to the-top-of the counterweight; and hoisting roping secured at one end to the upper car, extending npwardlyto' and at'least partially around the hoisting sheave for the upper car, downwardly to said sheaves secured to thecoun terweight, dividing and a portion of said roping passing partially around one of said counterweight sheaves, thence extending up-'. war-dly to and at least partially around one of said hoisting sheaves for the lower car and thence downwardly past the upper car and secured at its othervend to the lower car, and the other portion of said roping passing. partially around the other of said counterweight sheaves, thence extending up Wardly to and at least partially around the other of said hoisting sheavesfor the lower car and thence downwardly past .theupper car and secured at its other end to the lower car. 1 a a i y 7. An elevator installation comprising, a hatchway, two superposed elevator. cars independently operableginsaid hatchway, a single counterweight movable in said hatch: way, hoisting roping connected to said counterweight and to each of said cars, and compensating roping connected to said counter a weightand to each of said cars.

8. An elevator installation comprising, a hatchway, two superposedelevator cars. independently operable in said'hatchway, a single counterweight movable in saidhatchway, hoisting sheaves for said cars, hoisting roplng suspending said counterweight, :passing over said sheaves and connected at one end to one of said cars and at the other end to the other of said cars, compensatingsheaves for said cars, and compensating roping suspended from said counterweight, passing under said compensating sheaves and connected at one end to one of saidcars and at the other end to the other of said cars. I

' 9. An elevator installation comprising;a hatchway; two superposed elevator cars independently operable in saidhatchway; a single counterweight movable in said hatchway; a hoisting sheave for the upper of said.

cars; spaced hoisting sheaves for the lower of said cars; ldler sheaves secured-tothe top of the counterweight; hoisting roping connect ed at one end to the upper car, passing at,

least partially around the hoisting sheave tor that car, the idler sheaves, and the-hoisting sheaves for the lower car, andconnected at the other end to the lower car; a'compensat ing sheave for the lower car; spacedcompen sating' sheaves for the upper car; idler sheaves secured .to the bottom of said counterweight; and compensating roping connectsheaves for the upper car, andiconnected at theotherend to the upper car.

' 10. :An elevator installation comprising a hatchway; two superposed elevator ears independently operable, in said hatchway; a

hoisting sheave at the't'op of the hatchway for the upper of said cars; twospaced hoisting sheaves at the top'ofthe hatchway for the lower ofsaid cars; means for driving the hoisting sheave for the upper car; means for driving/the hoisting sheaves for the lower car; a single counterweight movable in said hatch way; a pair of sheaves secured to the top of thecounterweight; hoisting roping secured atone end to the upper car, extending-upwardly to and at least partially around 7 the hoisting sheave for the upper car, downwardly to said sheaves secured to the counter weight, d1v1d1ng and a portion of said rop1ng passin'gpartially around one ofsaid Counter 7 weight sheaves, thence extending'upwardly to and at least partially around one of said hoisting sheaves for th'e lower car and thence downwardly past the upper car and secured at its other end to the lower car, and the other portion of said roping passing partially around the other of said counterweight sheaves, thence extending upwardly to and at least partially-around the other of-said hoisting sheaves for the lower car and thence downwardly past the upper'car and secured at itsother end to the lower car; a com-pea sating sheave at the bottom of the hatchway for thelower of said cars; two compensating sheaves' at the bottom of the hatchway for the upper of said cars; a pair of sheaves sei cured l to the bottom of the counterweight;

and compensating iroping secured to the lower car, extending downwardly to and at least partially around the compensating sheave for the lower car, upwardly to said sheave secured to the bottom of the counterweight, dividing and a portion of said compensating roping passing partially around one of said sheaves secured to the bottom of o the counterweight; thence extending downwardly to and at least partially around'one of said compensating sheaves for-the'upper car.

car and'thence upwardly'past the lower car and secured at its other end to the upper car,

and theother portion of'said compensating roping passing partially around the other or said sheaves secured to the bottom of the" counterweight, thence extending downwardly'to and at'least partially around the. other of said compensating sheaves for theupper car andthence upwardly'past the lower car and seeur'ed' at its other end to the upper I In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name tothisspecifioation. 5

JOHN NORMAN ANDERSON. I 

